Printing mechanism



E. BUHLER 42,013,533

PRINTING MECHANISM Filed July '10, 1931 Sept. 3, 1935.

3- Sheets-Sheet 1.

lan/'a ATTORNEY Sept. 3, 1935. E. BUHLER PRI'NTI-NG MEGHANISM' Filed July 10, 1951 3 Sheets--Shee'iI 2' L INVENTOR MMA/m FIGA Sept. 3, 1935. E. BUHLER 2,013,533 'l PRINTING' MEGHANISM` Filed July l0, 1951 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR o 20 BY ATTORNEY l"lxatentecl Sept. 3, Y 1935 *U-NITED STATES PRINTING MECHANTSM Eugene Buhler, New York, N. Y., assig'nor, by mesne assignments, to International Business Machines Corporation, New York, N. Y., a corporation of New York Application July 10, 1931,`Se-rial No. 549,881

15 Claims.

- The invention relates to accounting machines and has f or its principal object the provision of an improved printing mechanism forsuchmachines.

Another object of the invention resides in t'ne simplication of the printing mechanism of such machines by the provision of a constantly rotating type drum and the provision of a power actuated impression hammer for striking an 10 impression from a type while the drum is-inI motion. r

Other objects reside in -new and improved structures and cooperations of the several elements of the mechanism as will be pointed out 15 in the following detailed description.

The preferred form of the invention contemplates a constantly rotating type carrier having a plurality of type movable in succession past a printing position. Apoweractuated impres,

sion hammer is adapted to be impelled against any of the type as such type is passing printing position, the timing of the hammer movement and the arrival of a selected type at printing position being positively synchronized to they actual contact point. t' The invention is illustrated by Way of eX- amplein the accompanying drawings in which Fig. 1 is a cross sectional view of the mechanical structure. y 30 Fig. 2 is a position viewr of parts shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a modified form of mechanism,

Fig. 4 shows a circuit diagram of a tabulating machine to which the printing device may be applied. l ,l

The circuit diagram in Figi 4 ,is substantially that of the printing tabulator disclosed inthe patent to Daly and Page, #1,762,145, issued June 10, 1930. During adding operations the machine is driven by a tabulating motor TM which is controlled by a group of circuits including relays and cam contacts and indicated generally atTC. The usual card feed clutch magnet is shown at CF in series with the tabulating motor and is eiective to feed the usual perforated cards as long as the tabulating motor is in operation. The cards feed successively past the upper analyzing brushes UB and the lower analyzing brushes LB and as they pass the latter the items represented by the perforations may be entered into accumulators represented, by counter magnets I and printed by printer magnets Il. The cards continue to feed and the successive items to be entered as long as certain classification perforations on successive cards do not change, this being taken care of by the usual group control system indicated generally at GC. On a change in the group classication perforations, the group control system interrupts accumulating and a total taking operation may be initiated, the machine in this instance being driven by the reset motor RM under control of` a group of circuits indicated generally at RC. The printing in this case also iscontrolled by the printing magnets ll. These operations are well understood and fully explained in the pat--V ent referred to above. Each card column contains ten index point positions diferentiallylocated to represent the ten digits and a differentdigit is represented by a perforation in each position. As the card passes the lower brushes LB the position of its W index points determines the time of the closure f of circuits through the analyzing brushes and the resulting current impulses may energize selected counter magnets I0 whenl the latter are properly plugged to the lower analyzing brushes. The magnets I0 when thus momentarily energized eiect clutching action between an accumulating Wheel and a constantly operating driv- ,l

ing shaft which clutching action persists until a predetermined point in the machine cycle. 'Ihe amgunts represented by the perforations` are thus rolled into the accumulators. s

The magnets I0 when energized open contacts 30 I2 to break their own circuits andclose contacts I3 to energize print magnets I I at a time in the cycle corresponding to the value of the item entered in the accumulators. Total printingis controlled by contacts I4 which cooperate With35 ,stepped cams I5. The latter are positioned by the accumulator wheels and the steps are so arranged that When the contacts I4 are operated during total taking they will be closed at a time in the cycle corresponding to the items stand- 40 ing on the accumulators, and energize print magnets Il atthistime.` g

A shaft 20 y(Fig. 1) is suitably geared to the main drive shaft of the tabulator so as to rotate constantly therewith and make one revolution for each cycle of operation of the tabulator. Driven from shaft 20 through gearing vdesignated generally at 2| is a shaft'22 which has secured thereto -a printing drum 23. Disposed on opposite sides of the drum 23 are duplicate sets; of printing type 50` 24 which rotate with `thedrum andaset of sch duplicate type is provided for each column of the record which is to be printed. A-'st'ationary'circular shield or casing 25 nxedly. secured to the frame of the device is disposedabout the` print- 26 and around shield 25 to a pair of feed rollers 29 and 30. The former is adapted to be rotated slightly to eiect line spacing by means of a p awl mechanism generally designated 3| cooperating with ratchet 32 rigidly securedv to the shaft of roller 29. The ratchet actuating mechanism 3| is adapted to be operated by a cam 33 secured to shaft 22. i A

The usual printing ribbon 34 is suitably guided between recordJ strip 21 and type elements 24 and may be suitably advanced by mechanism not shown in detail. A printing hammer 35, one of which is provided for each column, is adapted w be positively impelled towardthe printing drum 23 during the'movement of the type past printing position. This action takes place under control of the printing magnet in the following manner: Secured upon constantly rotating shaft l2|] isa fluted or toothed actuating member 3'5 having teeth 31 adapted to cooperate with a tooth 38 in `an-arm 39 which is pivoted to, the lower extremity of a lever 46 pivoted at 4|. Carried by arm 39 is a stud 42 adapted to be engaged by a spring-pressed by-pass 43 carried on lever 44.

Energization of magnet through itsarmature 45 and link 46 will rock spring-pressed latch 41 in a clockwise direction releasing lever 44 for movement in a counterclockwise direction under ythe combined influence of its spring 48. The consequent depression of by-pass 43 and its engagement with stud 42 will move the tooth 36 into engagement with a tooth 31 of actuating member 36 whereupon the member39 will be moved in a positive manner toward-the right, rockingv lever'.

40 about its pivot 4|. The upper 'extremity Aof lever 40 is adapted to eng-age a depending arm of hammer 35 and rock the hammer inv a clockwise direction about its pivot 50. As arm 39 is moved toward the right the free end thereof is adapted to engage the 'inclined camming surface 5| which serves to disengage tooth 38 from the actuating member 36.-' This disengagement will take place when the parts are substantially yin the position shown in Fig. 2 at .which time the lever 49 will have positively rocked the printing hammer -35 so that its striking point is just about vto make contact with the record strip. `The momentum of the hammer will carry it forward from this point to' make actual printing cont-act between the record strip and a type element 24 after which it will rebound to home position where it is restrained by its spring 52.

The gearing is such Vthat the type elements 24 pass printing position in synchronism with the passage of the index point positions of the record card past the analyzing brushes of the tabulating lmachine and the teeth 31 inthe actuator 36. are

so arranged that a tooth will pass the tooth 38 during the passage of a type 24 past the printing line. When all of the type 24 in either set havey passed printing position a cam 53 mounted on shaft 2|) is adapted through spring-pressedlinkage 54 to rock the shaft 55 to cause vdepression of restoring fingers or bail 56 mounted on shaft 55.

Counterclockwise rocking of finger 56 will restore lever 44 to its normal position and thrmil extension 49 will also cause positive restoration of latch 41 and its connected .link 46 and amature 45. Upon release of arm 39 from actuator 36 the arm is held upwardly and moved toward the left together with lever 40 by spring 51. By-pass 43 is so constructed as to oifer no resistance to the in'Fig. 3 wherein energization of magnet will rock a latch 41a in a 'Counterclockwise direction so that a projection 49a thereon will depress lever 44a to move arm 3Sa'into engagement with actuator 36. During the movement to the right o f ,arm 39a under the action of actuator 36, a camming edge 58 integral with arm 39a will engage lever 44a rocking the same about' its pivot to latched positie-n at,the same time positively restoring latch '4;1v together with the armature of magnet In this manner the lever 44a and latch 41a are restored concurrently with the actuation of the type hammer 35.

While there has been shown and described and pointed out the fundamental novel features of the invention as applied to a single modification, it will be understood thatk various omissions and substitutions and changes in the form and details of the device illustrated and in-its operation may be made by those skilled in the art without .departing from the spirit of the invention.` It i's` the intention therefore to be limited only as indicated by the scope of the following claims.

' 'I claim: 4 l l. In a printing mechanism, a rotatable type., carrier, a printing hammer, a power drive, and

an actuator for connecting said power drive with said hammer during rotation of said. carrier to impel said hammer against the carrier.

2. In ,a printing mechanism, a rotatable type carrier, a printing hammer cooperating therewith, a power drive, means adapted to connectA said hammer to said power drive to cause movement of said hammer against lsaid carrier while the carrier is.in motion and further means for disconnecting saidhammer from -said' drive beprinting position to cause printing from a predetermined one of vsaid type elements.

4. In a printing mechanism, a-rotat'able element, a type member carried by said element and adapted to' be moved past printing position, a hammer, and actuating means adapted to cause said hammer to strike said type member as said member is moving past printing position, said hammer being free from control of said actuating means at the time Awhen the said hammer is striking the type member.

'5. In a listing machine, card perforation reading means, a continuously rotatable element, a

type member carried by said element, a hammer adapted Ato cooperate with said member and means controlled by said reading means for positively actuating said hammer against said member during the continuous rotation of said element. i f

6. In a. listing machine, 'a plurality of typel members, means for continuously' moving said members through a predetermined printing position, a. power actuated printing hammer and means for causing a positive power actuation of said hammer for selectively printing from one of said members while said members are passing through said printing position.

7. In a printing machine adapted to be controlled by data-containing means, data sensing elements, type members,'means for causing said members to movecontinuously toward a xed printing position, a printing hammer, and means controlled by said sensing elements for positively moving said hammer against said -members for selectively printing from said members while the latter are passing through said printing position.

8. In a printing machine of the class controlled by perforated cards, a rotatable drum and means for rotating the same, a plurality of type characters circumferentially disposed on said drum, a printing hammer disposed adjacent to said drum, said drum and hammer being adapted to receive a record strip therebetween, and cardcontrolled means for selectively urging one of said characters and said hammer together when such character occupies a predetermined position and while said drum rotates uninterrupted whereby 'said character is impressed upon said record strip during the uninterrupted movement of said drum.

9. In a machine adapted to be controlled by record cards having index points thereon, means for cooperating with the index points of said cards, means for feeding cards past said cooperating means, aplurality of type members, means k:for moving said members through a predetermined printing position synchronously with the feeding of such cards, a printing hammer, an actuator therefor and means controlled by said cooperating means for connecting said hammer to said actuator for selectively printing from said members when the latter are passing through said printing position.

10. In a machine adapted to be controlled by record sheets having index points thereon, means for cooperating with the record sheet index points, means for feeding the recordsheets past said cooperating means, a plurality of type members of varying designations arranged to correspond in relative positions and designations with the index points of a sheet, means for moving said members past a. predetermined vprinting line in synchronism with the movement of the index points of a sheet past said cooperating means, a printing hammer, and means controlled by said cooperating means for positively moving said hammer into striking engagement with any of said members while the latter are passing through vsaid printing line.

11. In a printing mechanism, a movable type carrier having a plurality of type elements thereon, a printing hammer, a power drive,`an actuator for connecting said power drive with said hammer during movement of said carrier to impel said hammer against the carrier.

12. A printing mechanism comprising a movable type carrier having a plurality of type elements thereon, means for moving said carrier, a printing hammer, means for connecting said hammer to said moving means eecting movement of said hammer `toward one 'of said elements, means for disconnecting said hammer from said moving means after partial movement thereof, saidV hammer being adapted to continue its movement and strike said moving element by virtue of the momentum acquired during said partial movement.

13. In a printing mechanism, a type carrier, having a plurality of columnsl of type arranged in rows, a plurality of printing hammers, one

for each column of type, means for concurrently, f moving said columns past a printing position whereby the rows pass said position in succession, a record positioned between said carrier and said hammers, a power drive and means for selectively connecting said hammers to said power drive at diierent times to force the record against the carrier at such times to receive a succession "of impressions on a single line as the rows of type \pass uninterruptedly through printing position.

1 4. The invention set forth in claim 13 in which means is provided for advancing the record after all the rows of type have passed through printing position.

15; In a printing mechanism, atype carrier having a plurality 'of type elements thereon, an actuator having a plurality of actuating elements, one for each type element on the carrier, means for imparting a continuous movement to both the carrier'and the actuator, a pivoted printing hammer adapted to cooperate with said type elements and means for selectively coupling said hammer to one of said actuating elements to cause the hammer to be positively rocked into engagement with the type element corresponding to the selected actuating element to cause printing therefrom.

IEUGENE BUHLER. 

